[Kelvic Research Institution] Uneasy Alliance [Crassus]

[Izra]

18th of Spring, 512 Izra stepped from the small rowboat onto the docks gratefully. An hour and a half of sitting in a wet, wooden box with a smelly sailor is enough to drive anyone mad! After waking up this morning to a warm sun and fresh air, Izra was struck by a desire to explore the city. Unfortunately, the crowds and occasional leers from unsavory-looking men drove her to the rooftops, which she was not all that great at climbing in her human form. With clothes and a backpack on, she could barely keep herself from tumbling down to the street in some places. When she was growing a bit bored with climbing and running through the city's upper level, she spotted a compound on the northern shore of the lake. As the rest of the lake's circumference was empty of buildings, aside from the trading post, she was naturally interested. She made her way to the docks and selected the least-threatening man with a boat that she could, and politely asked that he take her to the structure. He acted very offended when she called it a rowboat, insisting that it was a something called a 'ravosala', not a rowboat. After a brief conversation which involved frequent pleas for him not to toss her into the lake for insulting his ravosala, he finally allowed her to board for a fee of five bronze Mizas. About halfway through the journey, he informed her that he would actually be charging her a silver Miza for her 'rudeness', and threatened to shove her out of the boat if she decided to protest. Having no experience with swimming and no great love for large bodies of water, she reluctantly agreed to it before clinging once more to the sides of the boat for dear life. A loud cough pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see the man with his hand held out palm-up, making a gesture for her to pay him. With a scowl, Izra fished a silver Miza from her pack and dropped it into his hand, "What is this place, anyway?" She asked with curiosity, finally deciding that she should at least know where she is before she just walks in. "Th' Kelvic Research Institution, missy!" He said with a lopsided grin, "Why didn'tcha ask b'fore I brought ya?" After biting the coin, he stuffed the Miza into his breeches pocket and shoved his oar against the side of the dock to give himself some backwards momentum, "They're gunna 'ave some great fun wi' yew!" He cackled as he maneuvered his ravosala to face the city and set off once more. "Wait! How do I get back? What do they do here? Who are 'they'?!" She called after him. Those really were good questions... Why hadn't she thought of a way to get back into the city after being dropped off? The sailor simply laughed more loudly, ignoring her questions. I guess I'll figure it out as I go along, She thought with a resigned shrug, What's research, anyway? Whatever it is, I hope it's nice. Izra set off towards the 'Institution' with questions weighing heavily on her mind.